The following description relates to navigating through an organization of information, for example, through a function directory in a user interface of a computer.
There are many manners in which to present information to a computer user. One of the most popular is visual. Presenting information in a visual manner often involves using a user interface. In a user interface, a user is typically able to observe data and to select between elements for manipulating data and/or viewing data.
The selectable elements in user interfaces have, however, become increasingly more varied and numerous. To allow ease of use, therefore, the selectable elements typically have some type of organization, which is often hierarchical, and a user navigates through the elements to find the desired one.
There are many ways to allow a user to navigate through selectable elements in a user interface. One of the most popular is by the use of menus with pop-up windows for further levels in the organization hierarchy. In this navigation scheme, the selected menu and any subsequent pop-up windows are displayed until the user selects the appropriate element.
Another way to allow a user to navigate through selectable elements in a user interface is to use a multilevel navigation bar. In this navigation scheme, additional lines are added to the initial navigation bar as the user navigates, with one line being added per organization level in most cases. Thus, all previously presented elements are displayed until the proper element is selected. This scheme may be used in either horizontal or vertical orientations.
A further way to allow a user to navigate through selectable elements in a user interface is to use multiple navigation bars. Such a scheme typically has an initial, top-level bar that is horizontal and subsequent ones at a vertical location. This scheme is often used when the structure of the organization is complex and the space available to display the elements is fixed to a designated area.